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WALKER - Foreclosures dropped significantly in the second quarter this year, according to the assessor's office.

In the second quarter, there were 40 foreclosures in 2011, 26 in 2012, 20 in 2013, but only 10 this year. Of those, three were homesteads; five were cabins; and one each was agricultural or commercial. Four were worth under $100,000. The rest ranged in value from $100,000 to $600,000.

Arms-length sales of homes in the county the first six months of 2014 rose by 10, the assessing department reported.

The state board of equalization has reviewed the county's 83 taxing districts and determined the county's appraisers set property values for the county accurately and will not require state adjustments in 2014.

That review shows Cass residential market values, including lakeshore, holding steady. New home construction decreased from 122 units per year to 106 units in the last year. There were 412 residential units sold in 2012 and 513 sold in 2013. No resorts sold in 2013.

The review found apartment rents in the county remain flat, though vacancy rates have trended down in the last year. Only one apartment building was sold.

There were 11 commercial/industrial sales in 2013. Agricultural land values are flat.

Cass County commissioners approved changes to the Land Use and Subdivision ordinances Tuesday following a public hearing at the regular board meeting. Changes take effect 30 days from expected publication next week.

Changes include:

• No longer will people need to get a variance to add onto an existing non-conforming structure as long as the addition/expansion meets all setback requirements.

• People will be allowed to keep small animals such as chickens on property under two acres equivalent to one-fourth an animal unit, which is one cow.

On off-lake lots of two to three acres, one animal unit will be allowed. Non-lake lots over three acres will be allowed one animal unit for the first three acres, plus one additional unit for each additional two acres.

Keeping wild or exotic animals is not permitted. Manure may not accumulate. Pasturing must meet lake setbacks.

• Mechanized equipment may not be used in a bluff impact zone with slopes steeper than 18 percent without environmental services department authorization.

• A lot may be subdivided into two without a new plat process if both meet buildable lot size requirements.

Central Services Director Tim Richardson obtained board approval not to publish a new plat book at this time, but rather to try introducing a mobile application instead. County maps may be printed from the county website.

He recommended against new printing due to the cost and in light of the fact 4-H clubs, who have been selling the books as a fundraiser in the past, reported in June that sales are down and no longer make a good fund raising project.

He also cited the cost involved in labor to update indexes for the books.

The county board voted to provide a support letter for Consolidated Telephone Company's application for a grant to expand broadband Internet services in the county.

Assistant Land Commissioner Kevin Dahlman obtained board approval to apply for more state money from the three-eighths cent state sales tax to enable the county to continue purchasing forest habitat land in the county.

Cass will receive $880,000 from that sales tax this year. The new grant application will be for the 2016 funding cycle.

The county applies for the funding through Lessard Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which in turn recommends approval of successful applicants to a final grant the Legislature authorizes.

Dahlman said Cass has been receiving about half of its grant requests each year. The county will request $1.2 million for the 2016 cycle. He said there is a lot of interest from sellers.

Land Commissioner Joshua Stevenson obtained board approval to award a contract to the lowest of four bidders to fill in a basement on tax forfeited property in Byron Township at $2,634 and to install a culvert in Poplar Township for $6,200.

All nine tracts the land department offered at the July 31 timber auction sold, netting the county $340,737.95 for timber cut from county administered land.

Aspen sold for $28.65 per cord. Red oak sold for $31.18 per cord. Red and white pine saw logs sold for $128.53 per thousand board feet.

Newly appointed director for Leech Lake Area Watershed Foundation Lindsey Ketchel informed the board the foundation has received a $2.13 million grant from the state Legacy Fund (three-eighths cent sales tax) to acquire conservation easements and to acquire critical habitat land areas.

The foundation plans to purchase 105 acres of critical shoreline of Woods Bay on Roosevelt Lake in Cass and Crow Wing counties and donate it to Minnesota DNR for an aquatic management area.

Water along the shore is a muskie spawning area. The land includes the second largest documented white pine in Minnesota, Ketchel said.

Bonnie Carlson, Minnesota Power representative, reported two 100-year-old dams in Cass County are part of the electric company's program to generate one-fourth of its electricity from renewable sources. This is 11 years before the state mandated 2025 deadline.

Pillager Hydroelectric was built in 1917 and generates 1.5 MW of energy. Sylvan Hydroelectric was built in 1913 and generates 1.8 MW of energy, Carlson said. Both are on the Crow Wing River.

Minnesota Power also has biomass and wind renewable energy resources.

Carlson said the firm's goal is to generate one-third of its energy from renewables, one-third from natural gas and one-third from coal. She presented a centennial commemorative medallion to the board to recognize the dam centennials.

Kevin Lee reported North Memorial Ambulance transported 119 patients the first half of this year for Longville Ambulance District, up from 111 the first half of 2013. Revenues were up, while expenses decreased, giving the service a 27.6 percent margin the first half of 2014.

The largest number of patients continue to use the hospital at Brainerd (32), followed by Deer River (19), Crosby (18), Bemidji (14), Cass Lake (8), Grand Rapids (7) and Park Rapids (5).

Cass County will receive a $114,197 dividend from workers' compensation and $85,249 dividend from property/casualty insurance program under Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust. The dividends reflect the county's past claims against insurance in the program.

Through July, Cass County earned $497,004.86 interest on investments, compared with $472,988.88 in the same period of 2013.

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